Chandhok to sit out Hockenheim for Yamamoto

Sakon Yamamoto

(GMM) Sakon Yamamoto will return to the grid with HRT at Hockenheim next weekend, this time in the place of team regular Karun Chandhok.

Last weekend at Silverstone, the new Spanish team replaced Bruno Senna with 28-year-old Japanese Yamamoto, who reportedly has $5 million in sponsorship backing.

In a statement on Friday, Hispania Racing said Yamamoto "gave a very positive performance in Silverstone" and will have "another opportunity to drive the car" in Germany, this time alongside the returning Senna.

HRT's other test driver, Christian Klien, said on Friday that HRT from now on will "nominate any of the four drivers for the race seat".

"And all four drivers are treated equally. After that, the decision rests with the team," he told motorline.cc.

HRT's media statement said Indian Chandhok "is still part of the team family and is likely to be in the car at some later races this season".

Yamamoto said: "The last race weekend was very exciting for me. Now, the team has given me another chance to race on Sunday and I will do my best to prove that it was the right decision."

Team boss Colin Kolles added: "After the solid result we could achieve in Silverstone, we want to go on like this and show a good performance again."